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By and large, honesty is the best policy. At least that's what we're told to believe at a very young age. However, there is a time and place when the truth is best left unsaid. The following is a true story, and it is probably one of the finest examples of that old adage "the truth sometimes hurts."

In my line of work, I talk to a wide variety of people, and some of the saddest stories come from elderly women with long since deceased husbands. Many of them mourn over their loss for years, and I suppose that, when one considers the other possibility, these are the lucky ones. I was stopped one day by an elderly patron of mine who basically told me the story of how she lost her husband twice, and to say the least, it was heart-rending.

The particular lady I'm talking about is in her eighties, and her husband passed away approximately twenty-five years ago. Naturally, she was saddened by her loss and spent years remembering the good times. It must be very difficult growing old alone, but the confessions of an idiot only serve to make things worse, as we shall see.

About five years ago a female family friend came to visit the lady in question, and she sat pensively in the living room for several minutes before spilling her guts. Yes, the visitor confessed to having an affair with the dead husband many years ago. The wife, upon recovery, opened the door and ushered the friend out. And, yes, the words "I never want to see you again" were spoken. Where do you go and what do you do after hearing garbage like that? At least a thirty year-old has a chance to recover from the shock and make a new life.

The results? As the tale unfolded, I learned that the husband is now referred to as "that bastard," and there is absolutely no hope of reconciliation among the former friends. Who knows what people think? To me, it sounded like spiking the ball in the end zone after a touchdown, and the so-called confession destroyed decades of love and fond memories. Usually it is much easier to tell the truth, but there are life-altering situations in which tact should take precedence, and only idiots don't understand this. These are the situations when honesty is actually the worst policy.

Learn more about this author, T.C Leonard.
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